This internationally significant historic attraction has been open as it exists now for over 30 years. Located on Highway 12, opposite Martyrs' Shrine, Sainte-Marie was headquarters of the French Jesuit mission to the Hurons and was the first European community in Ontario. In 1639 the Society of Jesus, along with lay workers, began construction of this palisaded community that would include a hospital, a church, residences, workshops, and shelters for Native visitors. By 1648, Sainte-Marie was home to 66 Frenchmen, representing one-fifth of the population of New France. Abandoned and burned in 1649, Sainte-Marie now stands recreated on the original site. Visit the Church of Saint Joseph, where Pope John Paul II prayed at the grave of two Canadian Martyrs.

The story of Europeans in Huronia is recalled in many local landmarks. Extensive archaeological and historical research enabled today's recreation of Sainte-Marie among the Hurons on its original site. Visit us today for an experience of another lifetime.